Tag: Love the Lakes

A massive thank you to everyone who helped us to reach our target of £5,000 for our Love Langdale Crowdfunder campaign, we are extremely grateful for your support.

The task of keeping the Lake District’s paths in good shape falls to footpath repair partnership Fix the Fells, who rely entirely on grants and donations to do their work. Your donation will be used to repair and maintain the upland path from Stake Pass to Pike O’Stickle, via Martcrag Moor in the Langdales.

We intend to carry out the repairs and maintenance in the 2019 fell season with assistance from specialist rangers from the Fix the Fells team. With your donation we are able to:

• build new sections of a sheep fleece path,
• tackle landscape erosion scars and gullies,
• define and rationalise the line of the path, avoiding a fragile upland bog habitat,
• ensure more effective drainage for the path.

This work will help to prevent the spread of ugly erosion scars in the beautiful fells, as well as provide key conservation and environmental benefits including preserving upland habitats for plant species and preventing sediment run-off into streams and tarns.

Thank you again for everyone’s donation, it really will make a difference!

A crowdfunding campaign to raise £5,000 for repairs to popular walking route in the Langdale Pikes is well-past the halfway point of meeting its target; and the deadline has been extended as support continues to grow.

Earlier this month, The Lake District Foundation launched its latest crowd funder to raise money to fund vital repairs along the path from Stake Pass to Pike O’Stickle via Martcrag Moor, making special rewards available for generous donors.

The cash raised will be donated to Fix the Fells, enabling its volunteers to landscape erosion scars, improve drainage, and define the line of the path to avoid a fragile bog habitat.

Volunteers will also build new sections of the ‘sheep fleece path’ – a traditional type of path that involves ‘floating’ a gravel path over peat bog by using the fleece as a barrier between the ground and the path.

This approach, which is both sustainable and environmentally friendly, results in an excellent upland path that blends in effectively with its surroundings.

James Forrest, Fix the Fells Fundraiser, says, “We’ve really seen a jump in the number of people pledging their support for this project in the last few days, especially from Ambleside Park one of our business fundraisers. We’re well on the way to raising £3,000 at the moment, but we’d love to hit £5,000. We’ve now extended the deadline to February 10 after seeing supporters really pick up the pace.”

In return for donations, rewards will be sent to those people who donate the following specific amounts.

The rewards include:

• A Fix the Fells pin badge for donations of £10 or more

• A Lake District Foundation goodie bag (containing a tote bag, Conquer the Lake District patch, badge and pen) for donations of £20 or more

• A limited edition Fix the Fells t-shirt in a size of your choice – designed by Fix the Fells partner Geo Clothing (https://geoclothing.co.uk/) – for donations of £40 or more

• A day out with the Fix the Fells volunteers on a ‘drain run’ for donations of £100 or more

• A hike with local adventurer and author James Forrest (aka ‘Mountain Man’) for a donation of £200 or more

The Lake District Foundation (LDF) has launched a new campaign to boost the number of people who give to the charity on a regular basis.

By donating as little as £2.50 per month, those who sign up to become a regular supporter will directly contribute to funding vital projects aimed at caring for the Lake District and Cumbria’s natural environment and cultural heritage.

Recent examples of projects include fundraising to fix the paths on England’s highest mountain, Scafell Pike, the Haweswater Woodland project – where volunteers will plant 400 protected native trees on a carefully selected area of Mardale Common and earlier this year a fundraising campaign generate funds to support the reconnection of the old Keswick to Threlkeld Railway Path which was washed away by Storm Desmond in 2015.

Regular supporters will be directly supporting high-impact and evidence-based projects on the ground, ensuring the sustainability of our spectacular landscape, wildlife and cultural heritage.

Lake District Foundation Director Sarah Swindley says, “Regular income is of enormous benefit to charities, especially so for the Lake District Foundation. The money raised will enable our team to help fund projects that share our goals much more effectively. Forward planning is so important and having a regular income stream helps us to plan even further ahead. It doesn’t have to be a huge amount of money if people choose to donate. Any amount, no matter how big or small, is welcome. It all adds-up to help us look after this spectacular landscape, wildlife and cultural heritage for future generations to enjoy.”

As a token of gratitude to those who show their regular support, donors will be sent a

welcome pack including a Lake District Foundation tote bag, window sticker, as well as limited edition pin and woven patch badge – the latter of which has been produced by Keswick-based family business, Conquer Lake District.

The regular giving campaign was launched at the weekend’s Holker Hall Winter Market, where the team was joined by University of Cumbria volunteer students from the Ambleside campus, as well as the team from Lake District Pound (LD£).

You can sign-up by telephoning 01539 822 622, 9am-5pm on weekdays, download a paper form from the LDF website. Alternatively, people can sign up face to face at the Kendal Mountain Festival (November 15-18) or the Keswick Victorian Christmas Market (December 2). As an extra bonus, the first 100 people to sign-up will be entered into a free prize draw for a fell runner Jos Naylor-signed LD£ book.

The last event for the Keswick to Threlkeld Railway Path fundraising campaign will be on Thursday 21st June in Fitz Park, Keswick.

There are over 500 ducks to be launched between 6pm-8pm on the longest day of the year with the support from local Keswick Scout groups, Keswick Anglers, Lions and Rotary.

Prizes include:

First Prize: 2 nights in a Hobbit Hole at The Quiet Site, Ullswater

Second Prize: Dinner for two at The George Hotel, Keswick

Third Prize: £100 voucher for Travel Chapter

Spot Prizes:

Afternoon tea for 2 at The Gaddum, Brockhole — Set of signed books from Sean Conway

Family Pass for the World of Beatrix Potter, Windermere

Discovery Pass for Whinlatter Forrest

My Cumbria Card

Ducks are £5 and can be bought online here until midday on Thursday 21st June, at Love the Lakes, St John’s Street Keswick, or on the night.

The funds raised will go towards reconnecting the Keswick to Threlkeld railway path, some parts of which were severely damaged during the floods in 2015.

Two of the old railway bridges that crossed the River Greta were washed away and one bridge left at risk of collapse and around 200 metres of the path surface disappeared into the floodwaters.

In December 2017 the LDNPA were delighted to announce a major funding boost to the project – a £2.5 million grant from Highways England and a partnership with the Lake District Foundation to jointly fundraise the shortfall of around £3 million.

The Lake District Foundation are celebrating after hosting their first ever charity auction on Friday evening to raise funds for the Keswick to Threlkeld Railway Path reinstatement.

The evening was held at the Lodore Falls Hotel and raised over £4,000 from the 19 lots available on the night and still counting. There were over 90 guests who attended the evening from all over the UK, including special guests Alan Hinkes OBE, Ricky Lightfoot and Sean Conway.

Sarah Swindley, Director of the Lake District Foundation was thrilled with the fundraising event; she said

“We are absolutely delighted with how the evening went and how much support the Lake District Foundation has had, to make our first ever charity auction happen. We’d like to say a huge thank-you to everyone involved from the businesses and individuals who donated prizes through to those who attended and bid for items on the night. We are pleased the evening has helped generate funds for the Keswick to Threlkeld path and raise further awareness of the ongoing campaign.”

PFK Auctions, one of the oldest auction houses in the region, ran the bidding on the night. The most popular lots included a mountaineering day with Alan Hinkes, an adventure day with Sean Conway and a running experience with Ricky Lightfoot. The 3 bespoke bracelets made by Brian Fulton from Fulton Jewellers in Keswick, Alan Stones framed original lithograph and a collectors set of Lake District Pound notes also raised a significant amount on the evening.

For those who were unable to make the evening, there is still an opportunity to bid for special items online at www.32auctions.com/keswicktothrelkeld until 30th June. The lots include a bespoke 70’s Herdy, a Fell Top Assessor for the Day experience, a VIP behind the scenes tour at Bremont HQ with luxury accommodation in Henley and even the chance to sponsor oaks trees with a plaque along the route of the Keswick to Threlkeld Railway Path.

The funds raised will go towards reconnecting the Keswick to Threlkeld railway path, some parts of which were severely damaged during the floods in 2015.

Two of the old railway bridges that crossed the River Greta were washed away and one bridge left at risk of collapse and around 200 metres of the path surface disappeared into the floodwaters.

In December 2017 the LDNPA were delighted to announce a major funding boost to the project – a £2.5 million grant from Highways England and a partnership with the Lake District Foundation to jointly fundraise the shortfall of around £3 million.

The exclusive money-can’t-buy experiences and prizes for the Lake District Foundation Charity Auction are now available to view below.

If you would like to join us Friday 8 June at the Lodore Falls Hotel you can book your tickets here. PFK Auctioneers, one of the oldest auction houses in the region, will be running the bidding on the night and bidding will commence on the night of the auction. There are over 40 lots up for grabs all to raise funds to reinstate the Keswick to Threlkeld Railway Path.

Lot 1 – A day on the Lake District Fells with Alan Hinkes OBE – Live Auction Item

An opportunity to head out into the Lake District fells with
Alan Hinkes OBE who is the first Briton to climb the world’s
highest mountains, the fourteen 8,000m peaks.

Join one of the top trail/mountain runners in the world for a run in the Lake District.
The former World Trail Running Champion from the Lake District, Ricky holds the record on several iconic races across the world including Mauritius, South Africa and the Scafell Pike. Bid for a fell running experience you’ll never forget.

Lot 3 – Adventure day with Sean Conway – Live Auction Item

Sean Conway is best known as the first and only man in history to cycle, swim and run the length of Britain, oh and for his massive ginger beard! In 2016 he completed the world’s longest triathlon, a 4,200mile journey around the coast of Britain. Sean has just broken the World Record for cycling across Europe in under 25 days from Portugal to Russia. Join him for an adventure day in the Lake District and receive signed copies of his books.

Spend the day with award winning local photographer Henry Iddon capturing shots across the Lake District using a pinhole camera and learning how to develop the images yourself. You’ll end the day with your own magnificent prints captured by you.

Lot 5 – 3 night holiday to Venice – Live Auction Item

Enjoy a fabulous 3 night self-catering break for 4 in central Venice. You’ll be staying in the heart of this romantic city, in an apartment overlooking a very quiet and private Corte (with its 14th century well), yet only minutes from the bustling Rialto Bridge and the Market.

Lot 6 – Lake District Pound – Live Auction Item

A collectors set of Lake District Pound notes with the same serial number, that number reflecting a key date in the history of our National Park. You could own the full set of Lake District Pound denominations – LD£1, LD£5, LD£10 & LD£20. Each of the denominations will have the same unique Serial Number: 1951. 1951 being the year the Lake District National Park was founded. This will be together with a ‘Lake District Pound Storybook 2018’ exquisitely produced on James Cropper paper and telling the story of the LD£ and the 2018 designs.

Lot 8 – Lake District National Park Field Team for the Day – Live Auction Item

The Lake District National Park’s Field Rangers are offering one full day of their time to assist you completing a big job in the garden, land or perhaps your farm? You aren’t bidding for a team to come and cut your grass for the day rather use their skills and expertise to help with something you can’t do, for example stone walling?!

The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh was founded in 1670 as a physic garden. It is now a world-renowned centre for plant science, horticulture and education and extends over four Gardens (Edinburgh, Benmore, Dawyck and Logan) boasting a rich living collection of plants. You could have an exclusive behind the scenes tour with the Curator of the Living Collections followed by conversation over a delightful afternoon tea.

Lot 10 – Alan Stones lithograph – Live Auction Item

Local Lake District artist, Alan Stones, is offering a framed original lithograph. The picture is called ‘Over the Fence’ – hand made in May 2018 at Alan Stones studio at Blencarn in a limited edition of 85. You’ll be able to view on the night and you’ll beabsolutely enchanted.

Lot 11 – Theatre by the Lake Package – Live Auction Item

Theatre by the Lake in Keswick is offering a special package for two. Enjoy tickets to any performance this summer season, exclusive VIP backstage tour and a three course dinner for two.

You will be picked up by your own private chauffeur, from Lakeside Travel Services VIP Chauffeur service, driven to your yacht on Windermere where you’ll set sail for an afternoon on the Lake and an enjoy a sumptuous lunch with wine on board. Your chauffeur will return you home after your excitement on the water.

For those of you who haven’t come across Herdy. Let us take a moment to introduce you. Herdy design and create unique gifts, homeware and accessories that make you smile. Born in the English Lake District and inspired by the area’s loveable Herdwick sheep, they also support sustainable rural community and upland fell farming projects through the Herdy fund. Herdy have created a bespoke 70’s disco Herdy especially to help raise funds for the Keswick to Threlkeld Railway Path! Bid now.

Lot 14 – Fulton’s Bespoke Jewellery- Live Auction Item

Brian Fulton based in Keswick has over 35 years experience in the jewellery trade. Brian has become a Freeman of the Goldsmiths’ Company for his contribution to the goldsmith and jewellery trade and is a fellow of the Institute of professional goldsmiths.

Brian, whose workshop was based in Threlkeld used to commute along the old railway path to Keswick. Brian has designed 3 bespoke bracelets to represent the bridges which were damaged during Storm Desmond, their old railway bridge numbers were 69, 71 and 73. Each bracelet will be auctioned separately.

Did you know Whinlatter is England’s only true Mountain Forest? It’s home to stunning views, fantastic walks, exhilarating mountain biking, rare wildlife and adventure play! The team at Whinlatter are giving you the chance to bid on a special prize for two…. A Discovery Pass for Whinlatter, afternoon tea at Siskins Café and Go Ape session (High Ropes or Segways) for two people plus a voucher for the Visitor Centre! Enjoy lunch for two as well at the fabulous Cottage in the Wood just by Whinlatter Forest. Bid now.

Lingholm Estate is traditional country estate that lies at the heart of the Northern Lake District situated on the Western Shore of Derwentwater. Central to the Estate is a grand Grade II listed Victorian house, built in 1873 by the prominent Victorian Architect Alfred Waterhouse with expansive grounds and stunning gardens. The Estate is offering an exclusive VIP tour followed by a scrumptious afternoon tea for two. Bid now.

Lot 17 – Hawkshead Relish Hamper – Live Auction Item

The Hawkshead Relish Company is an artisan producer of award winning preserves based in the historic village of Hawkshead in the heart of the English Lake District. The range of over 120 relishes, pickles and preserves are handmade in small batches using traditional open pans and locally sourced ingredients, without any artificial flavourings, colourings or preservatives, all are free from nuts and gluten and suitable for vegetarians.

Get your hands on a tasty hamper not to be missed filled with Hawkshead Relish finest goodies!

The Lakes Distillery is located next to Bassenthwite Lake. The team are inviting you to bid on a tour of the Distillery, afternoon tea for two and a fabulous bottle for the summer – The Lakes Rhubarb and Rosehip Gin Liqueur. Bid now.

Lot 19 –Wordsworth House and Garden entry and afternoon tea for a family of four – Online Auction Item

William Wordsworth ‘Daffodils’ poem beginning “I wander’d lonely as a cloud” is the quintessential Lake District poem. Born in Cockermouth, just north of the National Park, Wordsworth House and Garden was his childhood home. Wordsworth’s ‘Guide through the District of the Lakes’ published in 1820 sparked off the first beginnings of mass tourism to the area. Enjoy a tour of the house and gardens followed by afternoon tea. Bid now.

Indulge in a case of Jennings beers – Cumberland Ale, Jennings Bitter, Sneck Lifter, Cocker Hoop and a hamper of tasty local produce. The Jennings beers are brewed with pure Lakeland, drawn from the brewery’s own well, and only the finest ingredients are added. The real art is in the brewing itself, where the Head Brewer and his team use their years of experience and traditional brewing methods to create a range of superb Lakeland Ales.

A special opportunity to experience a VIP tour of the Schloss Dyck Foundation located just outside Dussledorf in Germany and a luxury overnight stay with dinner at the Hotel Schloss Dyck on the grounds of the glorious stately home. Schloss Dyck is a dramatic moated castle which is regarded as one of the most important cultural monuments on the Lower Rhine. Built on four islands in the 17th century, the castle complex lies at the heart of the spacious park. Bid now.

Rydal Mount, in the heart of the English Lake District, was William Wordsworth’s best loved family home for the greater part of his life from 1813 to his death in 1850 at the age of 80. The house, which was a focus for romantic literature, continues to be owned by the Wordsworth family and retains the feel of a lived in family home. We have a special opportunity to bid for a signed copy of Wordsworth’s Daffodil poem. The copy is signed by Susan Wordsworth the Great, Great, Great, Granddaughter of William Wordsworth. Bid now.

Keswick Mountain Festival has held back 4 tickets for Saturday 9th June concert with Mel C and The Farm. The tickets have now sold out so here’s your chance to get involved with the celebrations and support a superb cause!

Heart Radio is giving away a special prize for those budding radio presenters and super fans of the show. You could sit in on Heart drive time show, have a studio tour and walk away with fabulous merchandise! Bid now.

From November to March three Mountaineers summit Helvellyn to monitor, record and report on the weather conditions. Helvellyn is one of the most dangerous mountains to climb especially in winter conditions. The Fell Top Assessors job is to ensure locals and visitors summit safely and provide a ‘boots on the ground’ report on conditions. You can experience what it’s like to be a Fell Top Assessor for the day, climb the mountain, and produce the report and take over the social media for the day. Bid now.

Zoe Dawes, known as the Quirky Traveller, is a local lady who travellers the world writing awe-inspiring blogs and provides expert business coaching.

Zoe is offering a special business and life coaching session with a half day ‘walk n talk’ along the Keswick to Threlkeld Railway Path.

Walking is good for your health; being outdoors helps you clear your mind, reflect, think differently, it gives you clarity and boosts creativity. You can decide what to get out of the session, an individual ‘walk n talk’ coaching session, team building or social ‘walk n talk’ whatever your preference Zoe is on hand to offer her expert advice for half a day. Bid now!

Carlisle Lake District Airport and Smith Hotel are offering a two night luxury stay in a Suite with full Scottish breakfast and a bottle of bubbles on arrival. The Smith Hotel is a superb 4 star accommodation, excellent 2 x AA rosette restaurant, an onsite beauty salon and just in case you were wondering, highly regarded as one of the very best wedding reception venues in the area. Bid now!

Lot 37 –Monster Mile entries – Live Auction Item

The original and the best, Lakeland Monster Miles is the toughest both physically and technically of all the Adventure Cross events, offering a full take of the best of Lakeland riding, and is a great way to end your Cyclocross season.

Starting from Fitz Park in Keswick on 14 October, if you are up the challenge you’ve still got plenty of time to train, kindly sponsored by Rather Be Cycling and Sponsors Cycling Weekly and MBR.

You are invited to enjoy a very special dinner, bed and breakfast experience at the John Lewis exclusive hotel in Ambleside. The hotel is normally reserved for John Lewis employees but they have generously opened their doors to help raise funds for the Keswick to Threlkeld Railway Path. To make your mini break complete, Brockhole’s newly launched restaurant is offering an afternoon tea experience at The Gaddum Afternoon Tea. Bid now!

Lot 40 – Another Place overnight adventure and family pass to Holker Hall & Gardens with afternoon tea – Live Auction Item

Another Place is the newest in the new collection of hotels designed to bring people together in exceptional locations. From the team behind Watergate Bay Hotel, Another Place on the shores of Ullswater is relaxed, convivial hotel from where you can explore the great outdoors. It’s a place for coming together round a table or fire pit, or for going it alone on a walk in the hills. It’s about days spent splashing about in the lake before drying out on a sofa with a book. It’s about the good things in life – having fun, eating well, letting go. Enjoy dinner, bed and breakfast and the next day head off to Holker Hall & Gardens for a day of fun and afternoon tea.

Lot 41 – Short break for 4 in one of the Lake District Award Winning Parks – Bid now!

Lake District Estates are inviting you to bid on a wonderful short break at one of their 4 award winning Parks in the Lake District.

Heart of the Lakes are giving you the chance to bid for a Spa Experience Deluxe for 2 people at Oxleys Spa at Underscar followed by a two course meal for four and a bottle of Wine at The Bistro at Underscar.

The Lake District Foundation is celebrating after a successful fundraising weekend for the Keswick to Threlkeld Railway Path.

Over £1,500 was raised over the weekend and hundreds took part in the special K2T Challenges set by the Foundation. The Lions and Rotary volunteers were out in force over the weekend leading on the street collections and took donations from successful 5km challengers.

The K2T weekend was aimed at engaging everyone who was visiting Keswick over the Bank Holiday to get outside, enjoy the great weather, try out one or more of the five different 5km routes suggested by the Foundation and make a donation to the fundraising drive to reinstate the Keswick to Threlkeld Railway Path.

Heather Askew, Fundraiser for the Lake District Foundation was delighted with how the weekend went and wants to see this support and awareness continue over the next couple of months. Heather said “It was fantastic to speak with so many people over the weekend and hear everyone’s personal stories and memories of the railway path. Everyone we spoke with was keen to back the campaign and give the 5km challenge a go if they could. Don’t worry if you missed the weekend, the K2T Challenge can be done anywhere at any time! So you can still get outside, complete 5km, donate £5 (text ‘KTOT18 £5’ to 70070), and nominate five people to take on the challenge too”.

The fundraising events continue over the next couple of months with the Hope Park Games and Cafe ‘K2Tee Off’ competition on Thursday 17 May which will be an optional fancy dress golfing competition. The Alhambra Cinema is holding a talk and film showing by Sean Conway on Thursday 7 June and the Foundation will be holding an exclusive ‘money-can’t-buy’ auction on 8 June at the Lodore Falls Hotel with the auction lots being revealed later this week

The funds raised will go towards reconnecting the Keswick to Threlkeld railway path, some parts of which were severely damaged during the floods in 2015.

Two of the old railway bridges that crossed the River Greta were washed away and one bridge left at risk of collapse and around 200 metres of the path surface disappeared into the floodwaters.

In December 2017 the LDNPA were delighted to announce a major funding boost to the project – a £2.5 million grant from Highways England and a partnership with the Lake District Foundation to jointly fundraise the shortfall of around £3 million.

The 6-month fundraising campaign to raise funds for the reconnection of the Keswick to Threlkeld Railway Path is now complete and we are pleased to announce that a total of over £130,000 has been raised.

Following the floods in December 2015, the Keswick to Threlkeld Railway path suffered serious damage. Two of the old railway bridges that crossed the River Greta and around 200 metres of the path surface were washed away, and Rawsome Bridge was left at risk of collapse.

The campaign was supported by the local community, with businesses, residents, visitors and organisations all playing their part. Donation boxes and campaign materials were displayed in 72 local businesses and many of these business carried out additional fundraising events including quiz nights, selling special products, and taking part in the K2T 5k challenge.

Community organisations also got involved, making donations and holding events, including a railway path walk by Braithwaite School which raised over £300 and a national fell running event hosted by Keswick Athletic Club which raised £1,250 from proceeds. On midsummers day, with the support of Keswick Scouts, Keswick Anglers, Keswick Lions, Keswick Town Council and the Love the Lakes shop, a duck race raised a further £1,300 for the campaign.

As part of the campaign The Lake District Foundation hosted its first ever charity auction night and raised over £8,600 from 40 lots. Local businesses and celebrities donated fantastic prizes including a day on the Lake District Fells with Alan Hinkes OBE; the first Briton to climb the world’s highest mountains, the fourteen 8,000m peaks. The Lodore Falls Hotel & Spa kindly donated the venue, canopies, reception drinks and £20 per booking to the campaign.

Members of the public could donate online, by cash, cheque, or Text Giving throughout the campaign and 6 local residents set up sponsored events of their own. Adam Bazire, owner of the Threlkeld Coffee Shop, has raised over £2,300 to date or his challenge to walk the full route of the old railway from Penrith station to the former Keswick station.